Monday, February 29, 2016

UConn, Warriors, and South Florida bull

Geno's bambinos at UConn continue to roll on. Now at 29-0, they just polished off another perfect regular season. The latest victim was #20 South Florida. Though USF led throughout the first half, they were blitzed in the third quarter and would wind up losing by 20 points. Twenty points is not exactly a close call.

Some amazing stats were brought to light. Besides winning the last three national championships (and who's going to beat them this year?), the Lady Huskies are an incredible 142-5 in recent times. To put that in perspective, the Golden State Warriors, defending world champs and on another tear this year, sit at 53-5. Much has been speculated as to whether this year's GS team can best the all-time single-season record of 72-10 posted by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. It's entirely possible.

But to match the girls from Storrs, the Warriors would have to win their next 89 games in a row. So let's see. They have 24 remaining in this regular season, would have to sweep 4 playoff series' for 16 more and another title, then start off the 2016-17 season 49-0. Could that actually happen? Sure, and Alfred E. Neuman of Mad magazine could win the US Presidency in November by write-in ballots. But it's not likely. And that's assuming UConn's current winning streak doesn't keep going. Again, who's going to beat these girls in their conference playoffs or the NCAA tourney that comes after? Barring any key injuries, they seem a lock to roll to another championship. They're -- just -- that -- good.

Yet the South Florida game offered up another bit of weird trivia. USF calls their teams the "Bulls". That seems an odd name for a lady basketball team. Certainly not complimentary on a couple different levels.

But consider the alternatives. If the men's teams are Bulls, what would be an appropriate name for their lady counterparts? The Bullettes? With all the gun violence going on -- that probably wouldn't go over so well in the PC world.

The Cows? Imagine an announcer screaming into his microphone, "It's incredible how fast these Cows get up and down the court!!". Somewhere, people would cringe.

As long as we're in the bovine family, how about the Heifers? A similar talking head scenario could happen. "Look at those Heifers pounding the boards!!!". Good luck with that. And also good luck recruiting blue-chip prep players to come to the university.

What could the coaches say to the high school phenom and her parents when they visit? Come to South Florida, work/study hard, and we'll turn you into a full-blown Heifer? That could be problematic.

Maybe being known as the Bulls isn't so bad after all.

But if they thought they were going to knock off UConn, they were full of exactly the same indeed.

About Me

I attended the old Pontiac Central High School and went on to graduate from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science in engineering. Wound up being an electrician at Pontiac Motors. Go figure.
Now retired, I'm finally beginning to appreciate all those years of forced piano lessons when I was a kid, occasionally make a nuisance of myself with certain editors, and enjoy riding my Harley. I see the same sports things you do, but maybe in a different way. So saddle up. Let's go for a ride.